Moses johnson



(ModeL) M. JOHNSON.

Hand Truck.

No. 229,422. Patented June 29,1880.

N. FEYERS, PHOTO-UTHOGRAFHER. WASWNG'I'Q v D UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MOSES JOHNSON, OF LOGKPORT, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF OF HIS RIGHT TO M. O. RICHARDSON, OF SAME PLACE.

HAND-TRUCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 229,422, dated June 29, 1880.

' Application filed May 10,1880. (ModeL) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Mosns JOHNSON, of Lockport, in the county of Niagara and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hand-Trucks; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the to same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in hand-trucks; and it consists in such combination and arrangement of parts of the device to produce new and improved results as are hereinafter more specifically set forth and claimed.

The handles A, whereby the truck is propelled in the usual way, subserve the purpose of closing and opening the jaws, the jaws and handles forniingtwo pivoted levers, the shorter ends being adapted to constitute expansible truck-jaws and the longer ends for handles.

Figure l is a plan view of my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of a machine embodying my invention.

As a means of keeping the wheels aat right 0 angles to the axle a, when loads or articles of varying size are grasped, the axle a is formed of two parallel sections, 1) and I). These sec tions are respectively provided with guides, wherein the corresponding sections freely work,

3 5 and the guides are rigidly attached one to the inner end of each section, as represented by the letters d and d.

The expansible jaws A A are provided with the shields c c, which are pivoted thereto.

These shields are employed when grappling filled bags or other articles capable of injury by being punctured by the points 0 e, in practice, when the shields are thrown up against the points 6 0. They are provided with orifices e 6, into which the points 6 e of the ex- 5 pansible jaws are caused to fit, thereby preventing the removal of the shields by friction when grappling the article to be removed.

I employ two pivoted curved levers composed, essentially, of the expansible jaws A c and handles A, pivoted together at [L bya pin or bolt. These jaws have the shields c c pivoted thereto, and the shields are provided with the elbows 6 e with orifices therein for reception of the sharp points 6 c of the expansible jaws.

I propose making the jaws of metal and the handles of wood, but connected by any of the methods which ordinarily obtain in practice.

D represents supports rigidly attached, as shown, beneath the wooden handles.

I claim 1. In a hand-truck, the combination of the expansible jaws A A, shields c c, and axle a, substantially as shown and described. 6

2. The sectional axle a, with guides d and d, in combination with expansible jaws A A, substantially as shown and described.

3. The expansible jaws A A, with shields c c, for use when required as described, and

adjustable axle a, supported by wheels a, and operated by levers, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that 1 claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MOSES JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

J. J. ARNOLD, D. R. BENEDICT. 

